Allergen immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots, is a form of long-term treatment that decreases symptoms for many people with allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, conjunctivitis (eye allergy) or stinging insect allergy. Allergy shots decrease sensitivity to allergens and often leads to lasting relief of allergy symptoms even after treatment is stopped.
Have you noticed increased sneezing, coughing, itching, or watering eyes during certain times of the year? You may suffer from seasonal allergies! Seasonal allergies progress when your body’s immune system overreacts to things in the environment, usually during spring, summer, or fall when certain plants pollinate.
Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, noisy breathing, or chest tightness are all common symptoms of asthma. Asthma is a chronic, reversible condition causing inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes. Asthma affects 26 million Americans and while there is no cure for asthma, there are effective treatments available.
Skin testing has been used successfully by practitioners for over 100 years to diagnose allergic disorders. Allergy skin testing is non-invasive and, for most allergens, produces quick results! These tests are completed using a plastic device dipped in a diluted allergen. This information provides our board-certified allergist with the ability to specifically treat you in the best way.
Hives, also known as urticaria, affect about 20 percent of people at some time during their lives. Symptoms of hives include red, raised, itchy bumps that appear randomly and may disappear quickly.
Anaphylaxis, or an allergic reaction, is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. Symptoms usually appear within minutes to a few hours after eating a food, swallowing medication, or being stung by an insect.
Coughing is the body’s method to help clear particles and secretions from the airways to prevent infection. However, when a cough lingers it can be a frustrating and exhausting problem for patients. Chronic cough can cause muscle fatigue, dizziness, hoarseness, and sleep disturbance, to name a few symptoms.
Spirometry is a breathing test used to check how well your lungs are working. The test measures how much air you can move in and out of your lungs, and how fast you can blow air out of your lungs. If you have signs and symptoms of lung disease, your doctor may order spirometry to help diagnose the condition. It is particularly useful to diagnose asthma.
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that usually begins in the first few years of life. It is also associated with a chance of development of other allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), food allergy, and asthma when the child gets older. Our physician is an expert in diagnosing and treating atopic dermatitis and its associated conditions.
For most people, celebrations are fun events. But for parents of food allergic children, or even for food allergic adults, activities involving food can be filled with worry over coming into contact with a food allergen. Allergies are the result of a reaction that starts in the immune system.
Even healthy people have experienced common infections such as colds, the flu, or sinus and ear infections. Even with more serious infections, such as pneumonia, we expect our body’s immune system, with the help of proper medical treatment, to overcome the infection. The human body can usually rid itself of the infection-causing germs, and work to defend against future infections.
When most people are stung by an insect, the site develops redness, swelling and itching. However, some people are actually allergic to insect stings. This means that their immune systems overreact to the venom.